Communication device, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions for communication device, and method executed by communication device

Abstract

A communication device may shift an operation state of the communication device from a child station state to a specific state, in a case where a first wireless connection with a second external device is established via a second wireless interface under a predetermined state where the communication device is participating, as a child station, in a first wireless network in which a first external device is a parent station. The communication device may receive a request signal from the second external device via a first wireless interface after the operation state has been shifted to the specific state, and in a case where the request signal is received from the second external device, establish a second wireless connection with the second external device via the first wireless interface so as to belong to a second wireless network for executing a wireless communication via the first wireless interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A communication device comprising:
 a first wireless interface; 
 a second wireless interface different from the first wireless interface, wherein a communication speed of a wireless communication via the second wireless interface is slower than a communication speed of a wireless communication via the first wireless interface; 
 a processor; and 
 a memory storing computer-readable instructions therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the communication device to:
 shift an operation state of the communication device from a child station state for operating as a child station of a first wireless network to a specific state different from the child station state, in a case where a first wireless connection with a second external device is established via the second wireless interface under a predetermined state,
 the predetermined state being a state where the communication device is participating, as the child station, in the first wireless network in which a first external device different from the second external device is a parent station, and 
 the first wireless network being for executing a wireless communication via the first wireless interface; 
 
 receive a request signal from the second external device via the first wireless interface after the operation state of the communication device has been shifted to the specific state, the request signal being for requesting the communication device to establish a wireless connection via the first wireless interface; and 
 establish a second wireless connection with the second external device via the first wireless interface so as to belong to a second wireless network for executing a wireless communication via the first wireless interface, in a case where the request signal is received from the second external device. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the communication device to:
 determine whether a wireless communication using the first wireless network is being executed in the case where the first wireless connection is established with the second external device under the predetermined state, 
 wherein the operation state of the communication device is shifted from the child station state to the specific state in a case where it is determined that a wireless communication using the first wireless network is not being executed, and 
 the operation state of the communication device is not shifted from the child station state to the specific state in a case where it is determined that a wireless communication using the first wireless network is being executed. 
 
     
     
       3. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the communication device to:
 determine whether a non-communication time is longer than a first predetermined time in the case where the first wireless connection is established with the second external device under the predetermined state, the non-communication time being a time that has elapsed since the communication device lastly completed a wireless communication using the first wireless network, 
 wherein the operation state of the communication device is shifted from the child station state to the specific state in a case where it is determined that the non-communication time is longer than the first predetermined time, and 
 the operation state of the communication device is not shifted from the child station state to the specific state in a case where it is determined that the non-communication time is less than or equal to the first predetermined time. 
 
     
     
       4. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the communication device to:
 determine whether the communication device is in a non-communication state in the case where the first wireless connection is established with the second external device under the predetermined state, the non-communication state being a state where the communication device has not yet executed a wireless communication using the first wireless network since the communication device participated in the first wireless network, 
 wherein the operation state of the communication device is shifted from the child station state to the specific state in a case where it is determined that the communication device is not in the non-communication state, and 
 the operation state of the communication device is not shifted from the child station state to the specific state in a case where it is determined that the communication device is in the non-communication state. 
 
     
     
       5. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the communication device to:
 determine whether the first external device that comprises a specific application is accessing to the communication device by using the specific application in the case where the first wireless connection is established with the second external device under the predetermined state, 
 wherein the operation state of the communication device is shifted from the child station state to the specific state in a case where it is determined that the first external device is not accessing to the communication device, and 
 the operation state of the communication device is not shifted from the child station state to the specific state in a case where it is determined that the first external device is accessing to the communication device. 
 
     
     
       6. The communication device as in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a display, 
 wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the communication device to:
 display, on the display, a predetermined screen indicating that it is impossible to establish a wireless connection via the first wireless interface between the communication device and the second external device in a case where the operation state of the communication device is not shifted from the child station state to the specific state even if the first wireless connection is established with the second external device under the predetermined state. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the communication device to:
 establish a third wireless connection with the first external device via the first wireless interface so as to participate again, as the child station, in the first wireless network in which the first external device is the parent station, in a case where the request signal is not received from the second external device even if a second predetermined time has elapsed since the operation state of the communication device was shifted from the child station state to the specific state. 
 
     
     
       8. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein in the second wireless network, the second external device is a parent station and the communication device is a child station. 
     
     
       9. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein
 the specific state is a parent station state for operating as a parent station of the second wireless network, and 
 in the second wireless network, the communication device is the parent station and the second external device is a child station. 
 
     
     
       10. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein
 the child station state is a state where a response signal for the request signal is not sent to the second external device, in the case where the request signal is received from the second external device, and 
 the specific state is a state where the response signal for the request signal is sent to the second external device, in the case where the request signal is received from the second external device. 
 
     
     
       11. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein
 the child station state is a state where a communication for a trigger of sending the request signal to the communication device is not executed with the second external device, 
 the specific state is a state where the communication for the trigger of sending the request signal to the communication device is executed with the second external device. 
 
     
     
       12. The communication device as in  claim 1 , wherein the child station state is a client state of operating as a client of a WFD (abbreviation of Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark)) scheme developed by Wi-Fi Alliance. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions for a communication device, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a processor of the communication device, cause the communication device to:
 shift an operation state of the communication device from a child station state for operating as a child station of a first wireless network to a specific state different from the child station state, in a case where a first wireless connection with a second external device is established via a second wireless interface of the communication device under a predetermined state,
 the predetermined state being a state where the communication device is participating, as the child station, in the first wireless network in which a first external device different from the second external device is a parent station, 
 the first wireless network being for executing a wireless communication via a first wireless interface of the communication device different from the second wireless interface, and 
 wherein a communication speed of a wireless communication via the second wireless interface is slower than a communication speed of a wireless communication via the first wireless interface; 
 
 receive a request signal from the second external device via the first wireless interface after the operation state of the communication device has been shifted to the specific state, the request signal being for requesting the communication device to establish a wireless connection via the first wireless interface; and 
 establish a second wireless connection with the second external device via the first wireless interface so as to belong to a second wireless network for executing a wireless communication via the first wireless interface, in a case where the request signal is received from the second external device. 
 
     
     
       14. A method executed by a communication device, the method comprising:
 shifting an operation state of the communication device from a child station state for operating as a child station of a first wireless network to a specific state different from the child station state, in a case where a first wireless connection with a second external device is established via a second wireless interface of the communication device under a predetermined state,
 the predetermined state being a state where the communication device is participating, as the child station, in the first wireless network in which a first external device different from the second external device is a parent station, 
 the first wireless network being for executing a wireless communication via a first wireless interface of the communication device different from the second wireless interface, 
 wherein a communication speed of a wireless communication via the second wireless interface is slower than a communication speed of a wireless communication via the first wireless interface; 
 
 receiving a request signal from the second external device via the first wireless interface after the operation state of the communication device has been shifted to the specific state, the request signal being for requesting the communication device to establish a wireless connection via the first wireless interface; and 
 establishing a second wireless connection with the second external device via the first wireless interface so as to belong to a second wireless network for executing a wireless communication via the first wireless interface, in a case where the request signal is received from the second external device.